Legal Adult
by SWaddict1986
Summary: It's Ginny's seventeenth birthday. Even though some things change, it's a comfort to know that others stay the same. Here's a brief glimpse into her mind through all the bustle going on around her. Part of thanfiction's DAYDverse


**Disclaimer**: 1. This is a work of fan-fiction. 2. No money is made on this work. 3. JKR retains her rights. 4. thanfiction retains his portions. **  
****WIP/Length**: Complete/ 1,373**  
****Warnings**: None**  
Spoilers**: Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness  
**Author's Notes**: 1. Entry for the 1st Anniversary Contest on the DAYDverse livejournal community, using the prompt of birthday or anniversary.  
2. I fail at coming up with titles so I apologize that it's not the greatest

* * *

Ginny washed her hands and leaned her head against the doorframe of the loo. She was thrilled at how many people showed up but was enjoying few minutes of solitude

This year's party was turning out to be better than last year's.

Her mother was crying less every time she looked at George. She had already laughed twice this day, and it was barely half over. She and Ginny's father had stopped jumping at every sound and Ginny thought that they recently seemed to be getting just a little more sleep.

Bill and Fleur were actually here this year, not off on a quick, secretive honeymoon. Ginny smiled; Fleur still may not be her favorite person but she was wonderful to Bill and had been a great help to the family the past year.

Charlie and George had been making jokes about all morning about how being of age wouldn't stop them from hassling her. The jokes fell flat, especially with the absence of Fred, but the two meant well. They were trying to keep each other above the depression and working on making the heavy atmosphere that was the norm disappear for a day. It was one of the few reasons that prevented Ginny from screaming that she hadn't been a "child" for over a year.

Percy was…here. Part of Ginny was happy to have her brother back; the other part wanted to hex him. He had insisted that it had been difficult to turn his back on his family. To Ginny, it didn't seem as if he struggled with the idea much. She understood the fear of being hurt for something you believed in, but she also knew that it was _right_ not to give in to it. Percy was no Gryffindor in her eyes, and it would take a lot more time before she even considered him a true Weasley again.

Ron, however, was greatly missed last year, and Ginny was extremely glad to have him back home and _safe_. It had been terrible worrying about her older brother when she had her own troubles. With everything he had gone through, Ginny knew that they were lucky to have most of the family survive. But Ron had made it, along with Hermione and Harry, and that was one of the greatest birthday gifts Ginny could have hoped for.

Her lips curled into a smile at the thought of Harry. While she understood why he had broken it off last year, in her heart they were never really apart. She had spent her previous birthday with nausea at the uncertainty of knowing if he was even alive. And although they hadn't been together for very long, she hated herself for never telling him that she loved him. It had been the worst birthday yet.

"Gin?" There was a soft knock at the door and Ginny softly sighed. Of course she had been missed.

She opened the door and shrugged at Neville. "Sorry, didn't mean to take so long. It's just – well, it's a wonderful change from last year, but…" She shrugged again.

"Too much happy going on at once."

"Yeah." She smiled and slightly shook her head. "I'd have loved it to be a small gathering, but figured everyone needed _something_ to celebrate. They all deserve it."

"So did you. We all needed some time away from the questions and stares, a nice day of normality."

Ginny snorted. "Yes, like there's any semblance of normality in my house." She frowned. "It also helps get our minds off of where we'll be in a month. Mum thinks it would be best if I went back, and I'm not even going to pretend it'll be easy."

"I know." Neville touched her shoulder. "But you won't be alone. Remember that." She nodded with a smile. "Erm…" Neville shifted his feet and his eyes focused behind her. "I'm sorry but would you mind if I just…" He pointed his head towards the loo.

"Oh!" Ginny flushed. "Sorry, of course." She walked away as the door closed and looked down the steps, where Harry was giving her a look that was becoming all too familiar.

"Don't be like that," she hissed when she went to him. Molly frowned at her, causing Ginny to immediately smile. Her mother had been teetering on the edge of depression, and Ginny did whatever she could to pull her back.

"Don't be like what?" Harry muttered, steering her away from Molly's gaze.

"Jealous."

"I'm not—"

"Yes you are." Ginny stared at him until he looked away.

"Sorry, it's just that, well, _he_ was able to protect you and I couldn't. It hurts me every time I see you two together."

Ginny tamped down her anger and squeezed his hand. "I know, but you had other things to worry about. I didn't need any protection; I was safer than you." She spared a glance at Neville, who had rejoined Hannah and Justin. Harry looked at them and his hand tightened around hers.

"I do believe Neville's scars say otherwise."

Ginny shrugged and pulled Harry towards the trio, forcing out the memories of how the scars came to be. She had hinted enough to Harry about what had happened that he understood that Hogwarts hadn't been how he remembered, but he didn't know the whole story. She hadn't known where to begin with the terror that followed nearly every student that year and the determination of the D.A. to get everything back to how they used to be.

"You can't blame yourself for that, Harry. And knowing that you were alive through snippets in the _Prophet_ and _Quibbler_ kept me sane, helped me stay strong and keep going. Don't hate Neville for being our leader when no one else even thought to step up."

Harry didn't know what to say to that, opting instead to pull her close and kiss the top of her head.

"I'll try."

"Good." She leaned back and smirked. "Because it's my birthday and you should treat it as such. It can be your gift to me."

Harry blinked in mock horror. "You mean you don't _want_ what's in that big package in the corner? I'll gladly take it back if that's the case."

She gave him a real smile this time, noticing that the worry lines on her mother's face disappeared. "Well, since you went through all that trouble getting it for me, I'm not going to mind two gifts from you." She tugged at his hand again. "Come on, I want to see how Susan is doing."

Hannah was pleased to say that Susan was well. The five talked for a few minutes before Ginny made her rounds with Harry following her. Ginny was happy to see almost all of the surviving D.A. in one place; although she talked with them on a near-daily basis, there were some like Mandy Brocklehurst who she had only seen once or twice since May.

Molly came out with a Quidditch pitch cake about ready to topple over. There was a small cake ball Snitch flying around magically, and it zoomed towards Ginny. She took out her wand and made it stop, grinning at her mother.

"I can do that legally now."

Molly huffed. "At least you're not as bad as your brothers were." She put the cake down and smothered Ginny in a hug.

"My little girl's all grown up now. Time goes by too quick."

Ginny flushed but hugged back tight. "I know, mum."

"And you won't ever stop being my _little_ sister," George said when Molly let her go. "But can Ginny just blow out the candles? I'm _starving_."

Everyone laughed as Arthur lightly cuffed the back of his son's head. Molly moved the cake in front of Ginny, and she looked around the room.

A smile spread across her face as she took in her family and friends. They were together, as safe and happy as they could be. The contentment may be short-lived, but Ginny had come to learn that those brief moments made all the difference.

As she blew out her candles, she wished that the children of the future would never have to grow up and become adults before it was their time.


End file.
